This post could be called “Define a Bad Day”. The last few months have been a test not just for us personally and professionally, but also for our customers who are dealing with the grave task of preparing for the end of life of a loved one, or in the aftermath of picking up the pieces. Usually after one of these conversations, it puts everything in perspective.
The Nurse in Massachusetts
We heard from a nurse in Massachusetts who had outlived all four of her children and was buying an urn for the last surviving son. Although he was an adult, he was her youngest and was on Hospice and expected to die soon. This mother had endured another son who had drowned, a daughter dying unexpectedly in her sleep, and another died of cancer. Now she was faced with losing her last child after a sudden illness.
How does a parent survive this trauma? She told me that she has managed these devastating hits by doing outreach and counseling with other grieving parents. It brought her peace in knowing that she was comforting others. Conversations like this put my imaginary “bad day” in perspective.
Another customer in Massachusetts called to replace an urn that they had bought from Urn Garden several years ago for their dad. A house fire recently destroyed the property, but firefighters were able to retrieve the charred metal urn and deliver to the family. They planned to transfer the ashes into the new replacement urn.
It’s actually a good lesson on maybe why it’s not a good choice to store the urn in the home indefinitely. Whether it’s a catastrophic event, or the death of the caretaker, it might be worth exploring alternative and safer storage options.
Losing a Furry Friend
Another customer called on the way to the vet to put his dog down. He had a large breed in the backseat and urns for bigger dogs can be hard to find, unless you step up to a human adult size. He knew what he wanted and ordered it enroute to the vet’s office.
His dog had been suffering for a while and this event was scheduled, so the man knew it was coming and had time to prepare. He and his best friend had a special yet sad week, with his pet’s favorite treats and extra love and attention.
Teenage Suicide
Another mom called with an urgent need. She had lost her adult son to suicide a week ago. They ordered an urn on Amazon and it turned out to be a disaster. The memorial service was on Monday and she wanted the urn present at the funeral. He loved the lake and in addition to the gorgeous sunset, the urn had his favorite shades of blue and black.
The family chose this color palette for the celebration of life service. Mother and friends created a beautiful floral wreath using blue and black flowers to frame the urn. It turned out nice and saved money.
The title of this post was inspired by a customer who requested the verse be inscribed on an adult urn. I was intrigued and discovered that it was biblical and can be found in 1 Corinthians 15:55. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
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